Process and apparatus for



n. CRUWTHER.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DESTROYING ORGANISNIS.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN.20, I9I9. 1,41 3,006. Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

UNITED sirare l'rs stica.

DAVID CROWTHER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

rnoonss AND Arraaarus ron DESTROYING oRGANrsr/rs.

Application filed January 20, 1919. Serial No. 271,976.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID CnowTHnn, a citizen of the United IStates, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Destroying Organisms, of whichl the following` is a specification. y

My invention relates to a process and an apparatus for destroying organisms. The obj ect in particular is the sterilizing of food stuff, the manufacture of vaccine material, and the making of other preparations in which there is lifel which it is desired todestroy wholly or in part at the lowest vpossible temperature which ,is practicable and without materially affecting the chemical compositionof the material being treated. The material to be treated vmay be suspended in water, or may be in the solid state or any other suitable form. rEhe products may be extracted after treatment, if desired. or the organisms may be extracted. iirst from the material and then treated7 as for instance in the making of vaccines. For this purpose Iemploy gases under pressure and preferably those which are most soluble in the liquid contained 'in the organisms, or in the liquid in which the organisms are suspended. The gases which I employ are also preferably those which have the least chemical action on the materials to` be treated. The gas which I prefer to employ for my purpose is carbon dioxide, andin the decarbon dioxide tank. The member 18 is provided with a second screw threaded nipple 48 upon which is adapted to be screwed a struction of spores and spore forming bodies these are .suspended in the liquid, and the liquid or mixture is saturated with carbon dioxideunder pressure. After the pressure has been maintained for a length of time it is suddenly released, and just prior to, or at the time of release, heat is applied. The heat applied should be only enough to substantially compensate for the cooling action resulting from the sudden expansion of the gas when released. V

f The full objectsand advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description and the vnovel features embodied in my inventive 'idea will-be particularly pointed out in theclaims. v

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate `the principle of my invention and the form of apparatus which I may employ Fig.

1 isV anelevational ksectional view.V

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of a slightly modified apparatus. v

Referring to the construction shown in the drawings, a receptacle 10, preferably of metal, hasl a cover 12 adapted to vbe secured thereto in a suitable manner,'as by bolts 111, while a lead gasket 16 may be provided to make a gas tight joint.Y A screw threaded hole in the cover 12 is adapted to receive the lower screw threaded end of a member 18 provided with a vertical bore or chamber 2O closed at the top by a screw plug 22. The hole in the cover 12 is preferably provided with a depending annular flange 24 for receiving a cork or plug 26 through which a glass tube 28 extends from the bore 2O down nearly to the bottom of a glass receptacle v30 placed within the outer receptacle 10.

The member 18 is provided'with a screw threaded nippleY 32 uponv which is adapted to be screwed a valve supporting member 34E which contains a'valVe 36 adapted to control two pass'ageways 38 andv 40. The passageway 38leads to the bore `or chamber 20, andthe passageway ,40 leads through the cover 12 tothe space above the receptacle 30. Theopenings through the valve 36 are so arrangedthat only7V one or j the other of the passageways 38 and 40 will be open at one time. The outer end of the member 34: is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner, as by a coupling 42 to one end of a tube 44E,- the other end of'which is connected to a gas container 46, such as a valvesupporting member 50 which contains a valve 52adapted to control a passageway 54 leading from the chamber 20. The end of the member 50 is` adapted to be connected in `any suitable manner, as by a coupling 56, to

by means of which the contents may be `drawn off. Any suitable means for applying heat to the material being treated, just 'prior yto or at the time of release of pressure, may

be provided. 1 shows a water jacket 68 around the receptacle l0. This 'water aclret isr provided with inlet and outlet pipes 70 and 72 whereby hot water may be caused to llow through thewater jacket to heat the material in the receptacle prior to and at the' time of release of pressure, rso that there will be no appreciable fall in the temperature `due to the sudden expansion ot the gas.V

Fig. 2 showsy a water jacket 74' around the horizontal portion ot the delivery pipe 58. This water jacket is providediwith inlet and outlet pipes 76 and 78 whereby hot water may be caused to flow through the water jacket to maintain the temperature or the material passing through the delivery pipe when the pressure is suddenly released.

The operation and advantages otmy invention will be understood from the foregoing description. rlhe material to be treated, such as spores or spore forming bodies in suspension in water, is placed in the glass receptacle 30. The receptacle lO is then closed and the valve 52 being closed, the valve 36 is turned so as to open communication through the passageway 38 between the tank 46 and the chamber 20. The gas under pressure passes down the tube 2S and out through the liquidin the receptacle 30 so that all oi" the liquid is subjected to uniform pressure of the gas.- rlhe pressure is maintained a suliicient 'lenorth of time to cause the material beine l1 v h treated 'to become thoroughly saturated with the gas. The valve 36 is then turned'so as to close the passageway 38 and open vthe passageway 40. This causes the pressure of the gas to be maintained on the top yoi' the liquid in the receptacle 30. Upon turning the valve V52V to open the passageway 54 the pressure on this side of the apparatus is suddenly releasedand on account ot' the pressure being maintained through the passageway. 4110 the liquid' will be torced'up the tube 28 and i through the pipe 58 into the collecting receptacle '60. The sudden release* ot the pressure bursts the structure ot the organisms being ltreatedj with consequent destruction of lite.

Prior to or at thetime oic release ot pressure, or both, heat is applied. to the material in `su'Hieient amount to compensate `for the re-l duction oi" the temperature which would otherwise occur, due tothe sudden expansion of. the 'gasa The organisms are thus not subjected tov a temperature which would injuriously affect their properties. At the same time-there is no reduction in temperature to Alessen the expansive action of the gas on the organisms; It will be understood that on account of the pressure beingrmaintained for nearly the whole length of time through the passageway38, allot ,the organisms in the apparatus are subjected to the uniform laction of thegas', which would not be the case ifthepre'ssiire was applied in the first in- 1 j. stance-through the passageway'40g- In the VV latter 'case theniaterial' would be forcedup the tube 28 and the' organisms would not be Y so thoroughly and uniformly subjected to the action `of the gas. understood that by preventing a decrease in the temperature whenthe gas is allowed to expand suddenly, there is obtained a more rapid disassociation or any carbonio acid (H2003) that may be formed inthe liquid or in the interiorot the organisms or material beingtreated, thus resulting in more eertain disruption ofthe cells and destruction or' the life of the organisms. i

I claim: Y I

l. The process of destroying organisms which consists in' subjeetingmaterial tov a which is inert with relation to the material being treated under pressure for a pe'- riod of time suiiicient to cause the organ-- lt will be -further` isms in the material to become saturated7 suddenly releasing the pressure whereby the sudden expansion of the gas within the organisms will disrupt the same, and applying sufficient heatto the material to prevent appreciable decrease in the temperature due to the sudden expansion of the gas. 1

2. rlhe process of destroying organisn'is which consists in subjecting material to a gas which is inert with relationto the ymateyiiod of time sulicient tov cause the organisms in the materialto become saturated, suddenly releasing the pressure on one` side oi the material while maintaining thepressure on the other side of the material wherebythe sudden expansion ol the gas within the organisms will disrupt the same-,and

.apjjilying sufiicient heat to the material' to prevent 'appreciable decrease in' the temperature due to the sudden expansion of the 35- I* 4. Thek process of destroying organisms which consists in subjecting ,material to'rgas under pressure deliveredl at one side vof the material, cutting off the supply'or1 gasto said side, delivering gas under'pressure to the other side of the material, suddenly re-r leasing thepressure o n said first' mentioned lside and applying sufficient heat to the materia'l'to prevent appreciable decrease in the temperature dueto the sudden` expansion 'of gas.

5.. The processV of' destroying organisms" which consists in subjecting material to carbon dioxide undei` pressure for a period vof time sufficient to cause the organisms in the material to become saturated, suddenly releasing the pressure whereby the sudden expansion of the carbon dioxide within the organisms will disrupt the same, and applying suflicient heat to the material to prevent appreciable decrease inthe temperature due to the sudden expansion of the carbon dioxide.

6. An apparatus for destroying organisms comprising a receptacle for receiving material to be treated, means 'for introducing gas under pressure vinto said receptacle, a delivery pipe in communication with said receptacle, means whereby said delivery pipe may be closed to maintain the pressure of gas in said receptacle and may be opened to release the pressure on said material, and means for applying sufficient heat to the material to prevent appreciable decrease in temperature due to the sudden expansion of the gas.

7 An apparatus for destroying organisms comprising a receptacle for receiving material to be treated, means for introducing gas 8. An apparatus for destroying organisms comprising a chamber, a receptacle in said chamber for receiving material to be treated, a source of supply of gas under pressure, connections between said source of supply and said chamber, said connections embodying two passageways, a tube extending down into said receptacle, one of said passagewaysV leading to the top of said tube, the other of said passageways leading to the top of said chamber, means for controlling said passageways whereby either one may be opened while the other is closed, and means for releasing the pressure on said material.

In testimony whereof l hereunto ahx my signature.

DAVID CROWTHER. 

